Another Yosemite/ N. CA thread

[livinintexas]

This my idea for our big summer of '09 vacation. We will have about 17 days. I want to visit Yosemite, Monterey, the Redwoods, up the Oregon coast to Seattle.

My last day of work is Friday, June 5th that school year. If our school calendar remains the same for 09/10 school year, I will have to return to work on August 12, 2009. So my travel window for this trip is June 5- August 8 (I want to be home by this date). For the waterfalls at Yosemite, it seems early June is best, but I'm not sure early/mid June is best for the rest of the trip. June Gloom in N. Ca/ coast??

By brother lives in Anchorage, so my girls and I (almost 10 and 12 at the time of the trip) MIGHT fly from Seattle to ANC. Dh would need to return to work. We could do this first and meet dh and start in Seattle or end there.

I would book for Yosemite a year in advance. Willing to spend a lot of money on a great place here. Most of our other lodging would be Hiltons using points, so we could splurge here!

I know very little about this area! We are spending a week in DLR/ Santa Monica this June. We have visited San Diego in the past. I want to take our time and see the sights!

Thoughts, help, ideas! I will search this forum for more info too! TIA

 

[Claire L]

We had a glorious time in Northern California in mid/late June 2006. It was apparently unusual but we loved it SF in 70+ temps and Yosemite's falls were in full flow at the Tioga pass had only opened the weekend before we arrived.

We got a great ariel view of SF when landing.

Also Yosmite valley from a distance was great.

Claire

 

[livinintexas]

I am leaning towards staying at Yosemite Lodge at the Falls in early June. Saturday and Sunday in San Fran (arrive Friday the 5th) and then Monday-Thursday is Yosemite. Thursday-Sunday in Monterey area. How long of a drive from Yosemite to Monterey? Sunday- Sunday- Monterey to Seattle. How does that sound?

 

[CPT Tripss]

I think maybe SF to Monterey to Yosemite then up to Seattle might be a bit less driving. You will be criss-crossing the state the way you are proposing.
Whichever way you go, if the weather is clear take a side trip to Mt. St. Helen!
The Lodge should be a nice place to stay. I'm thrifty, so we did Curry Cabins . . . if you have "girly" girls, the cabins just won't do.

 

[CPT Tripss]

I think maybe SF to Monterey to Yosemite then up to Seattle might be a bit less driving. You will be criss-crossing the state the way you are proposing.
Whichever way you go, if the weather is clear take a side trip to Mt. St. Helen!
The Lodge should be a nice place to stay. I'm thrifty, so we did Curry Cabins . . . if you have "girly" girls, the cabins just won't do.

 

[livinintexas]

Now I 'm thinking of skipping Monterey! (maybe a spring break trip some year San Diego to Monterey!)

San Fran- arrive on Friday(6/5/09) night leave on Monday

Yosemite- Monday to Friday- is this too much time? Monday and Friday are partial days.

Friday drive to Redding (too long to get to Crescent City)

Saturday- Monday Crescent City, CA for Redwoods

Monday- Thursday- drive up the Oregon Coast (no idea where to stay or what to see)

Thursday-Sunday Seattle, Washington

 

[livinintexas]

Now I 'm thinking of skipping Monterey! (maybe a spring break trip some year San Diego to Monterey!)

San Fran- arrive on Friday(6/5/09) night leave on Monday

Yosemite- Monday to Friday- is this too much time? Monday and Friday are partial days.

Friday drive to Redding (too long to get to Crescent City)

Saturday- Monday Crescent City, CA for Redwoods

Monday- Thursday- drive up the Oregon Coast (no idea where to stay or what to see)

Thursday-Sunday Seattle, Washington

 

[ScooterL]

Yosemite- Monday to Friday- is this too much time? Monday and Friday are partial days.

I think that depends on how active you are. I can easily spend a week in Yosemite, but I like to hike and bike every day. If you only want to see the major sights, you can do that in a couple of days - spend a day in the Valley with a trip up the Vernal/Nevada Falls trail at least up to the Vernal Falls bridge, and maybe a short side trip to Mirror Lake, and then spend a day driving up to Glacier Point with a short hike to Sentinel Dome along the way. For most people I'd recommend hitting the Mariposa Grove on their way out of the park, but since your next stop is Redding that's the wrong direction, so you might stop at the Tuolumne Grove instead. The sequoias aren't as accessible there, though - you have to hike downhill for almost a mile to see the first ones...which of course means that later it's a mile uphill to get back to your car.

But if you have more time, and if you like to hike and are in fairly reasonable shape, then I highly recommend hiking the Panorama Trail. You can take a bus (nominal charge) from Yosemite Lodge to Glacier Point, and then hike down the Panorama Trail to the Valley floor. There are some spectacular views along the way, and you will see three waterfalls - Illilouette, Nevada, and Vernal. Actually 4 - you'll see Yosemite Falls across the Valley. It's about 8 miles and it is mostly downhill - there's one fairly steep uphill stretch that's about a mile long, though.

Usually you can go river rafting at that time of year - that's a fun activity. You can rent rafts, paddles, and life jackets at Curry Village and then carry your raft over to the launch point on the Merced River. You float a couple of miles down the river and then get out - the folks there will take care of your raft and paddles for you, and your life jacket is your "ticket" for the bus that takes you back to Curry Village.

Renting bikes (either at Curry Village or Yosemite Lodge) and riding on the 8 miles of bike paths around the Valley is a lot of fun, too, and the bike paths will take you into some places that aren't accessible by car.

 

[livinintexas]

Thanks, those are so great ideas! We are all in prettty good shape! My kids have done some pretty tough hikes in Alaska! I'll discuss this all with the family! I'm glad I have so much time to plan, b/c we have a lot of choices!